COMensarations
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Is Politics Only to be for the Rich? Part One
We want Everyman to be able to run for office, but we keep supporting efforts to ensure only the rich are able to.
A piece of national legislation has recently been introduced which more than ever will make politics a rich man’s game if it passes. It has free speech implications as well.
Representative Udall (D) of Colorado is sponsoring a bill lin Congress to prohibit members of a candidate’s immediate family from receiving a salary that comes from campaign funds. An example is a spouse who seves as a campaign manager, publicist, etc., for a candidate, and is paid. The perception is that this is just a way for the candidate to skim money into his own pocket. The perception is that an immediate family member does not actually perform any work in return for the money. This may or may not be true. Note, it MAY NOT be true. Should it not, however, be up to the donors to decide whether they are unhappy about a candidate putting a relative on the payroll, and withhold donations accordingly? Isn’t this the subset of free speech called “Put your money where your mouth is?” Which is the same type of free speech restricted by campaign finance laws.